Databases with Access Learning Made Simple
Moira Stephen
AMSTERDAM • BOSTON • HEIDELBERG • LONDON • NEW YORK • OXFORD PARIS • SAN DIEGO • SAN FRANCISCO • SINGAPORE • SYDNEY • TOKYO Butterworth-Heinemann is an imprint of Elsevier
Butterworth-Heinemann is an imprint of Elsevier Linacre House, Jordan Hill, Oxford OX2 8DP, UK 30 Corporate Drive, Suite 400, Burlington, MA 01803, USA First edition 2006 Copyright
©
2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the publisher Permissions may be sought directly from Elsevier’s Science & Technology Rights Department in Oxford, UK: phone (+44) (0) 1865 843830; fax (+44) (0) 1865 853333; email:
[email protected]. Alternatively you can submit your request online by visiting the Elsevier web site at http://elsevier.com/locate/permissions, and selecting Obtaining permission to use Elsevier material Notice No responsibility is assumed by the publisher for any injury and/or damage to persons or property as a matter of products liability, negligence or otherwise, or from any use or operation of any methods, products, instructions or ideas contained in the material herein. TRADEMARKS/REGISTERED TRADEMARKS Computer hardware and software brand names mentioned in this book are protected by their respective trademarks and are acknowledged British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN-13: 978 0 7506 8186 5 ISBN-10: 0 7506 8186 1
Typeset by P.K.McBride, Southampton Icons designed by Sarah Ward © 1994 Printed and bound in Italy
Contents Preface ............................................................................. vii
1 Getting started
1
What is a database? ......................................................... 2 Access objects ................................................................... 4 Preparing your data........................................................... 5 Normalisation .................................................................... 7 Primary key ........................................................................ 9 Book shop example ........................................................ 10 Getting into Access......................................................... 12 The Access screen.......................................................... 13 Help.................................................................................. 14 On-line Help ..................................................................... 17 Exercises ......................................................................... 18
2 Building a database
21
Creating a database....................................................... 22 Opening a database ....................................................... 23 Creating a table .............................................................. 24 Data types ....................................................................... 25 Properties ........................................................................ 26 Designing the table .........................................................27 Setting the primary key .................................................. 28 Save and close ............................................................... 29 Multi-table databases .................................................... 30 Exercises ......................................................................... 32
3 Relationships
35
Relationships .................................................................. 36 Showing tables ................................................................37 Making relationships ..................................................... 38 Referential integrity ........................................................ 39
Editing and deleting ....................................................... 40 Printing .............................................................................41 Exercises ......................................................................... 42
4 Data entry and edit
43
Using Datasheet view .................................................... 44 Entering data .................................................................. 45 Editing .............................................................................. 46 Add and delete records...................................................47 Adjusting the design ...................................................... 48 Data and related tables ................................................. 49 Exercises ..........................................................................51
5 Forms
53
Creating forms ................................................................ 54 Save and close a form ................................................... 56 Forms and related tables .............................................. 57 Form Wizard .................................................................... 58 Design view ..................................................................... 61 Form header and footer ................................................. 62 Fields and controls ......................................................... 63 Labels .............................................................................. 64 Images ............................................................................. 65 Exercises ......................................................................... 67
6 Datasheet view
71
Simple sort ...................................................................... 72 Multi-level sort ................................................................ 73 Find ................................................................................... 74 Replace............................................................................ 75 Filtering............................................................................. 76 The subdatasheet .......................................................... 78 Format a datasheet ........................................................ 81
iv
Hide and Show................................................................ 82 Freezing columns ........................................................... 83 Print Preview ................................................................... 84 Page Setup ...................................................................... 85 Print ................................................................................. 86 Exercises ......................................................................... 87
7 Queries
89
The query grid ................................................................. 90 Saving a query ................................................................ 93 Multi-table queries ......................................................... 94 Selection criteria ............................................................ 95 Multiple criteria .............................................................. 96 Wild card characters ...................................................... 98 Is Null/Is Not Null ........................................................... 99 Exercises ....................................................................... 100
8 Reports
103
Creating reports ........................................................... 104 Save and close a report ............................................... 105 Report Wizard ............................................................... 106 Summary calculations ................................................. 109 Exercises ....................................................................... 111
Index
113
v
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Preface The books in the Learning Made Simple series aim to do exactly what it says on the cover – make learning simple. A Learning Made Simple book:
Is fully illustrated: with clearly labelled screenshots.
Is easy to read: with brief explanations, and clear instructions.
Is task-based: each short section concentrates on one job at a time.
Builds knowledge: ideas and techniques are presented in the right order so that your understanding builds progressively as you work through the book.
Is flexible: as each section is self-contained, if you know it, you can skip it.
The books in the Learning Made Simple books series are designed with learning in mind, and so do not directly follow the structure of any specific syllabus – but they do cover the content. This book covers Module 5 of the ECDL syllabus and the Database aspects of New CLAIT. For details of how the sections map against your syllabus, please go to the website: http://www.madesimple.co.uk
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1 Getting started What is a database? . . . . . . . . . 2 Access objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Preparing your data . . . . . . . . . . 5 Normalisation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Primary key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Book shop example . . . . . . . . .10 Getting into Access . . . . . . . . .12 The Access screen . . . . . . . . . .13 Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 On-line Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Exercises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
What is a database? A database is simply a collection of data, stored in an organised way. For example, it may be:
an address list
employee details
details about items in stock.
A simple database could be used to store the names and addresses of those you send Christmas cards to, or details of your CD collection. A more complex database could be used to store the data that you need to run your company, e.g. supplier, customer, stock and order details.
Database jargon If you have never used a database before, you might not have encountered some of the database terminology that we will use in this book. Here are brief definitions of the terms you will come across. Table: All the data on one topic is stored in a table. A table could contain details of the employees that work for your company. In a simple database, you might have only one table. More complex ones may consist of several tables. Record: The data for a single item in a table is held in that item’s record. Using the employee table example, each employee would have their own record within the employee table. Field: A field is a piece of information within a record e.g. in your employee table, things like surname, job title, date of birth, or salary grade. Field name: The label, or name, given to a field. Primary key: A special field that will contain a unique piece of information in each record e.g. StaffID. Relationship: A relationship is used to link two tables through a common field.
2
Tip If you have never used a database package before, I suggest you read through the next few pages carefully. Database concepts and jargon are not difficult, but you need to appreciate how a database works and to become familiar with some of the jargon you will come across. If you’re already familiar with databases, move on to ‘Getting into Access’ (page 12).
Join: The process of linking two tables is often referred to as joining them. Data definition: The process of defining, or describing, the data to be stored. This will involve specifying the data type (text, number, date), the field size, and how it is related to other tables. Data manipulation: This term describes any work done on existing data within your tables. Sorting and extracting data and producing reports from it would all be examples of data manipulation.
Company database file
CUSTOMER TABLE
SUPPLIER TABLE
EMPLOYEE TABLE
Field names
EMPLOYEE TABLE Firstname
Surname
Job Title
Start Date
Salary
Department
Jennifer
Atkinson
Sales Manager
10/06/82
£29,000
Sales
Andrew
McPherson
Programmer
24/10/92
£16,450
Computer
Matthew
Anderson
Consultant
01/01/93
£32,600
Insurance
Alison
Duncanson
Buyer
14/08/88
£18,900
Purchasing
Records Fields
3
Access objects There are seven different types of objects in Access - Tables, Queries, Forms, Reports, Pages, Macros and Modules. We will use four of these objects – Tables, Queries, Forms and Reports – as we progress through this book.
Tables Tables are used to store your data. You can enter and edit your data in the table datasheet – which looks very similar to an Excel worksheet. Main purpose: Store, input and edit data
Queries Queries are used to extract data from your tables. You might want to extract data using a specific criterion, e.g. all staff that work in a specific department. Main purpose: Extract data
Forms Forms are used for data entry and editing. They provide a ‘user friendly’ interface with your tables. Main purpose: Input and edit data
Reports Reports are used to display your data in a meaningful way, ready for printing. Main purpose: Extract data, lay data out ready for printing So there are two objects that you can use to enter and edit your data – tables and forms. The data is actually stored in the table. And there are two objects that you can use to extract data from your tables – queries and reports.
4
Tip Learn to recognise these tabs – they can speed up your work.
Preparing your data The most important (and often difficult) stage in setting up your database takes place away from the computer. Before you set up a database you must work out how your data should be organised. Ask yourself two key questions:
What do I want to store?
What information do I want to get out of my database?
NB: You must also work out your answers to these!! Once you’ve decided what you are storing and what use you intend to make of the data, you are ready to start designing your database. Again, much of this can be done away from the computer.
What fields do you need? Tip When planning your database, take a small sample of the data to be stored and examine it carefully. Break the detail on each item into small units for sorting and searching. You can then start to work out what fields will be needed to enable you to store all the necessary data for each item.
You must break the data down into the smallest units you want to search or sort on. Each of these must be in a separate field. If you were setting up names, you would probably break the name into three fields – Title, Firstname (or Initials) and Surname. This way you can sort the file into Surname order, or search for someone using the Firstname and Surname. If you were storing addresses, you would probably want separate fields for Town/city, Region and/or Country. You can then sort your records into order on any of these fields, or locate records by specifying appropriate search criteria. For example, using Town/city and Country fields, you could search for addresses in Perth (Town/city), Australia (Country) rather than Perth (Town/city), Scotland (Country). The number of lines in an address can vary considerably, e.g. 12 High Street, Edinburgh, EH22 (with one address line before the town) vs. The Old Schoolhouse, East Lane, Cranshaws, Nr Duns, Borders Region, TD10 (where you have three address lines before the town).
5
When creating your tables set up enough fields to accommodate a full address (perhaps by using an Address 1, Address 2, and Address 3 field) before you get to the town, postcode etc. When entering data into address fields the Address 1 field should always be used, the Address 2 and Address 3 could be used if necessary. Make sure you always enter the town, postcode, county etc. into the same field in each record.
How big are the fields? You must also decide how much space is required for each field. The space you allocate must be long enough to accommodate the longest item that might go there. How long is the longest surname you want to store? If in doubt, take a sample of some typical names (McDonald, Peterson, MacKenzie, Harvey-Jones?) and add a few more characters to the longest one to be sure. An error in field size isn’t as serious as an error in record structure as field sizes can be expanded without existing data being affected. It is very important that you spend time organising and structuring your data before you start to computerise it – it’ll save you a lot of time and frustration in the long run! You can edit the structure of your table if necessary – but hunting through existing data to update records is time consuming, so it’s best to get it right to start with!
6
Take note You can specify the size of text and number fields. Text fields can be up to 255 characters in length (the default is 50). Numbers which are just used as identifiers, e.g. codes or telephone numbers, should be stored in text fields. Number fields should be used for any numbers that you may want to perform calculations on. There are several size options for number fields (see Field Size in the on-line Help).
Normalisation Tip
When deciding on the tables required, you should consider how best to group the fields to minimise the duplication of data throughout the database – this is what is meant by the process of normalisation.
I suggest you work through the book, using the example given, for practice.
For example, you may be setting up a database to record details of items that you keep in stock and the suppliers that you use. You could record all this information in one table, with fields for stock code, item description, cost, supplier name, supplier address, supplier telephone number, contact name, etc. However, using one table may result in a lot of data duplication – if you get 200 stock items from the same supplier, you would need to add the supplier details into the record for each stock item – that means that the supplier information would have to be entered 200 times!! The solution to this kind of problem is to normalise the data. As a result of normalisation, you end up organising your data fields into a group of tables, that can be combined when and as required. In the stock example, you could create two tables. One could hold details of the stock item, e.g. code, description, colour, supplier code, etc. The other could hold all the supplier information – supplier code, company name, contact name, address, telephone number, etc. The information on each supplier would be entered just once – into the supplier table. In the stock table, the supplier would be identified using the supplier code. The two tables could be linked through the supplier code, so that the data from both tables can be combined. So if you do have the same supplier for 200 stock items, you only need to enter the supplier details once!
7
There are several benefits to this approach:
Each set of details (supplier) is stored (and therefore keyed in) only once.
The stock table will be considerably smaller in size than it otherwise would have been.
Should any of the supplier details change (phone number/ address) you only have one record to update (in the Supplier table).
If you wrongly identify a supplier in a record in the Stock table, you have only one field to correct in each record that contains the error, rather than several fields.
Take note On page 10 we introduce a project (based around a bookshop) that you can set up to help you learn how to use Access and practise the features that are introduced in this book. In the project the tables required and table structures have been worked out for you. The project has been kept simple, as it would be impractical in a book of this size to discuss every table, form and report you might need. Although desirable in a real database, a stock control system to show how many copies are in stock and their values, a form for pre-ordering, etc. have not been included.
8
Primary key Take note At beginner/intermediate level you might not be asked to design a database yourself – you will be given the design to work with. However, an appreciation of how the design was reached can be useful, so do take time to read through this section. If you are an intermediate/advanced user you will nearly always need to be able to design your own database.
Most records will have an identifier – a field that holds a unique piece of information in each record in the table. In a Staff table, each member of staff would have a different StaffID, so the primary key would usually be the StaffID (or Staff Number). The field that contains the staff name, or department may hold the same information in several records – there might be three employees called John Smith, or 20 employees working in the Sales department. But each one of them would have their own, unique, StaffID. In a table that stored details of company cars, the car registration field would be the primary key – each car would have a different registration number. Your company might have several BMWs as company cars, but each one would have its own, unique, registration number. Once a field has been set as the primary key you cannot enter duplicate information into it – Access will not allow it.
Database design Before you start to create a database on your computer, you should take some time to design it. You need to work out what fields you will need, and how you will group them into tables. You will also want to identify the primary key in each table, and decide how your tables will be related to each other. We will use an example of a database that might be set up for your local book store.
Take note In Chapter 2, you will be given a database design to set up for practice.
9
Book shop example Let’s say that you wanted to create a database to store details of the books in your book shop. You decide that you want to store the following information on each book: ISBN (a unique number given to each book published) Book Title
Author name
Tip
Price
Classification (fiction/non-fiction/science/travel etc) Year published Publisher name
Publisher address
Publisher contact To maximise the sorting and searching capabilities of your database, this list could be extended and broken down into the following fields: ISBN
Book Title
Author Firstname
Author Surname
Price
Classification
Publisher name
Publisher contact person
Publisher address 1
Publisher address 2
Town
Region
Country
Postcode
Telephone no.
Email
Year published
You could put all of these fields in one table. However, this would lead to a potentially inefficient database as you would have to repeat the publisher details in each record for every book that you bought from that publisher (perhaps resulting in the same data being entered hundreds of times). As we are really storing information on two different things here – the book, and the publisher – we should set up two tables – one for information on the book and one for information on the publisher. When working with databases, the things that you store information on (and usually end up having a table for) are sometimes called entities. The fields identified so far belong to the tables as follows:
10
These first few pages have introduced you to some of the jargon and theory that are associated with databases. At this stage, don’t worry if you can’t really understand everything that you have read – but come back to this section and read it again and again as you use Access. It’s often easier to appreciate the theory once you have seen it in action!
Take note This example has resulted in two tables being required to store the data efficiently. In many databases, you will find that it takes several tables to give the most efficient design.
Book table
Publisher table
ISBN Book Title Author Firstname Author Surname Price Classification Year published
Name Contact person Address 1 Address 2 Town Region Country Postcode Telephone number Email
In the Book table, we would want to be able to identify which company published the book – so we should add the Publisher name field to the Book table – or, better still, a PublisherID field. We should also add a PublisherID field to the Publisher table. This field would be the primary key field in the Publisher table – each publisher would have a unique ID. The ISBN would be the primary key field in the Book table – each book would have a unique ISBN. The tables would be linked through their common field – the PublisherID field. So our final database design would be: Book table
Publisher table
ISBN (primary key) Book Title Author Firstname Author Surname Price Classification Year published PublisherID
PublisherID (primary key) Name Contact person Address 1 Address 2 Town Region Country Postcode Telephone number Email
We still have to finalise details of the data types and properties of each field, but the basic design has been established.
11
Getting into Access
Basic steps
It is assumed that Access is already installed on your computer. If it isn’t, you must install it (or get someone else to install it for you) before going any further.
If you are already working in another application, save any files that you want to keep, close the application(s) you are working in and return to the Desktop.
You’re now ready to start using Access. You can start Access through the Start Menu on the Taskbar or from the Microsoft Office Shortcut Bar (if you have it displayed).
3
From the Taskbar
1
Click the Start button on the Taskbar.
2 3 4
Point to All Programs. Point to Microsoft Office. Click on Microsoft Office Access 2003.
Point to Microsoft Office
4
2 1 12
Click Start
Point to All Programs
Click on Access
The Access screen Close the File New Database dialog box (click Cancel), so that you can view the Microsoft Access screen.
Take note Access, like other Office applications, personalises your menu and toolbars. You can expand the menus to reveal all commands. After you select a command, or click a button on the toolbar, it appears on your personalised menu or toolbar. Toolbars can share space in a single row on the screen, so you have more room for your work.
Looking at the Access screen, you can identify the standard elements of any Window: the Title bar, Menu bar and Toolbar; the Minimize, Maximize/Restore and Close buttons, and the Status bar. I suggest you Maximize the Access window. This way other windows that may be open on your desktop won’t distract you.
Database toolbar
Menu bar Title bar
Maximize/Restore Minimize
Close
Don’t panic if your toolbars or menus are not exactly the same as those in the book!
Status bar
Exiting Access When you have completed your session in Access, you must exit the package and return to the Windows environment (don’t just switch off your PC!!). To exit, click the Close button on the Title bar or open the File menu and choose Exit.
13
Help
Basic steps
When working in Access, there is always plenty of Help available – the trick is being able to find it. There are several ways to get Help – most very intuitive and easy to use.
Type a question for Help box
1 2 3
You can reach the Help system using the Type a question box on the right of the menu bar.
1
Type your question
4
Type a question Type in your question. Press [Enter]. Choose a topic from the Search Results task pane – click on it. Display Help task pane Click the Access Help tool on the Standard toolbar.
or
5
3
Pick a topic
Access Help task pane The task pane is divided into three main areas:
The Offline Help can be accessed from the Search for: field and the Table of Contents option in the top area.
The Online Help can be accessed from the middle area.
Specific areas such as ‘What’s New’, ‘Contact Us’ and ‘Accessibility Help’ can be accessed from the See also list at the bottom of the task pane.
14
Press [F1].
Basic steps
Search for Help
You can also search another location in the Search options at the bottom of the Search Results task pane, or try searching for different keywords.
1 2 3
4 5 6
Search Enter a keyword or keywords in the Search for: field at the top of the Access Help task pane. Press [Enter] or to display a list of topics in the Search Results task pane.
Table of Contents You can browse through the Help available using the Table of Contents option.
Click on the topic that sounds most likely to display the Help page you want. Browse Click the Table of Contents option near the top of the Help task pane. Click on a book in the Table of Contents list – it will open to display other books or topics.
You can adjust the width of the Table of Contents pane by dragging its left edge
Open another book, or click on a topic to display its Help page.
Take note The Back , Forward and Home icons at the top of a task pane take you backwards and forwards through the panes that you have used recently, or Home to the Getting Started task pane that is displayed when you open Access.
15
Hot spots On a Help page, some text may be blue. This indicates a ‘hot spot’ that can display some information. The most common types of hot spots are:
Bulleted item – displays a list of instructions
Embedded item – gives (usually in green) an explanation of the word or phrase
Tip – suggested Help
Show All – expands or collapses all the hot spots on the page.
Embedded item
Bulleted item
Help page toolbar buttons Tiles the windows and the Help page panel. Undoes the tiling – and the button reverts to
.
Takes you back through the Help pages viewed. Takes you forward through the Help pages viewed. Prints the Help page.
16
Show All
On-line Help
Basic steps
1 2 3
Open the Help menu. Choose Microsoft Office Online.
If you cannot find the Help that you need in the normal Help system, visit the Microsoft Office Online site for updated Help files, answers to top support issues and frequently asked questions on Access, tips and templates.
Navigate your way through the Help pages until you find the information required.
Take note Other options for getting Help You can get Help using the Office Assistant – choose Show Office Assistant from the Help menu. In a dialog box, click the Help button , then click on the item within the dialog box that you want to find out about – a brief explanation of the item will be displayed
17
Exercises 1
Complete the following sentence, by filling in the gaps, using the words collection
organised stored
database
A ____________ is a ________ of data, ______________ on a computer in an ____________, or structured, way. 2
A database can be used to store information on a number of related, albeit different, things. For example, a student database might contain information on the student (name/address, etc.) and the courses (title/level/certificating body) that they could take. What sort of object would be used to store the student data in this example? Record
3
Field
The objects that you will learn to use in this book are listed below. Match each object with its function. Object
4
Table
Purpose
Report
1
A Data Storage
Query
2
B Data Entry
Table
3
C Extract Data
Form
4
D Print Data
Suggest which tables you might need to fulfil the following database requirements: The items of stock held in a shop and the contact details of the suppliers of that stock. A list of patients at a hospital and the consultant who is responsible for them. A list of the CDs held in a music store and details of the music company they were bought from.
18
5
To display the Microsoft Office Access Help panel you would click: (a)
6
(b)
(c)
(d)
Display the Help Table of Contents, and open the Startup and Settings book. Go to the section on Get Started with Access 2003. Read the information on Using a database for the first time, and Databases: What they are and how they work. Alternatively, use the Search options to find out about what a database is and how it works.
7
Using the Type a question for help box, locate information on creating a database. Read the section on Create a database without using a Database wizard. List the steps involved in creating a new database using this method. (a) ............................................................................................. (b) ............................................................................................. (c) .............................................................................................
8
Use the Office Assistant to find out how to create a table in Design view. List the things that you can do to a table structure in this view. (a) ............................................................................................. (b) ............................................................................................. (c) .............................................................................................
19
9
Which function key displays the Access Help panel?
10 Locate Help on working in a table in datasheet view using the Access Help panel. Read the information that you find. 11 If you have Internet Access, go to Training on Microsoft Office Online and explore any topic that interests you.
Tip If you can’t find the Help that you need, click Can’t find it? at the bottom of the Search Results Task Pane – Access will give you suggestions on how you could make your search more successful.
20
2 Building a database Creating a database . . . . . . . . . . 22 Opening a database . . . . . . . . . . 23 Creating a table . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Data types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Designing the table . . . . . . . . . . 27 Setting the primary key . . . . . . . 28 Save and close . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Multi-table databases . . . . . . . . 30 Exercises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Creating a database When you first start Microsoft Access the Access window is displayed (see opposite), with the Getting Started task pane on the right-hand side. From here you can open an existing file or create a new one.
4
Basic steps
1 or
3 4 5 6 7 5
Enter a name
6
22
Click the New tool on the Standard toolbar. Click on the New File task pane. Select the folder that you wish to store your database in. Give your database a name – ‘Christmas Card List’ in this example. Click
.
Your database window will be displayed.
Click Create
7
on
the Getting Started task pane.
2
Select the folder
Click
The database window opens
Opening a database
Basic steps
1 2
Start Access (if necessary). Select the file from the Open list on the Getting Started task pane.
Recently used files can be opened from the Getting Started task pane or the File menu. Older files must be opened through the Open dialog box.
or
3
Open the File menu and choose the file from those at the bottom.
or
4
5 6 7
Click on the Getting Started task pane or the Open tool on the Standard toolbar.
3
Select the file
Locate the folder that contains the database.
2
Select the file
Select the database. Click it.
to open
5
Locate the folder
6
4
Click More…
Select the database
7
Click Open
23
Creating a table Once you have created your database file, the next step is to create your table(s). A table consists of:
The record structure – the field names, data types and properties, and
Basic steps
1 2
Select Tables in the Objects bar of the Database window. Double-click .
The record data, e.g. publisher information
Or
This database consists of ONE table only. The table will end up containing a list of names and addresses – your Christmas Card list. The field names, data types and properties of each field are listed in the table below.
Field name
Data type
Properties
CCID
AutoNumber
Primary Key
Title
Text
Field Size = 10
First name
Text
Field Size = 20
Surname
Text
Field Size = 20
Address 1
Text
Field Size = 30
Address 2
Text
Field Size = 30
Town
Text
Field Size = 20
Region
Text
Field Size = 20
Postcode
Text
Field Size = 12
Tel No
Text
Field Size = 15
Email
Text
Field Size = 25
3
Click
base window.
4 5
Select Design View in the New Table dialog box Click OK.
Take note We will be using Design view for the tables we create in this book.
4
Select Design View
5
24
in the Data-
Click OK
Data types There are 10 different data types to choose from when setting up your table structures. The data types you will use most often are described here.
Data Type
Usage
Size
Notes
Text
Alphanumeric data
up to 255 bytes
Default data type
Number
Numeric data
1, 2, 4 or 8 bytes
Date/Time
Dates and times
8 bytes
Date and time values for the years 100 through to 9999
Currency
Monetary data
8 bytes
Accurate to 4 decimal places and 15 digits to the left of the separator
AutoNumber Unique long integer generated by Access for each new record
4 bytes
Cannot be updated; useful for Primary Key fields
Yes/No
1 bit
Fields that contain one of two values – Yes/No, On/Off, True/False.
Boolean data
Take note Most of your fields will probably be Text, with a few of the others used in each table depending on the type of data you wish to store.
25
Properties You can customise fields by specifying different properties. The properties most commonly used are listed here.
Take note The properties depend upon the data type.
Property
Data Type
Notes
Field size
Text and Number
Text can have a field size from 1-255 (default is 50)
Number field sizes are: Byte (single byte) Integer (2-byte) Long Integer (4-byte) Single (4-byte) Double (8-byte)
Values: 0 – 255 –32,768 to 32,767 –2,147,483,648 to 2,147,483,648 –3.4 x 1038 to 3.4 x 1038 –1.797 x 10308 to +1.797 x 10308
Format
Controls how data is displayed or printed
Options depend on data type
Decimal places
Number and currency
Auto (displays 2 decimal places for most formats) or fixed – 0 to 15 decimal places.
Input mask
Text, Number, Currency and Date/Time
Uses special characters to show the type of input allowed, and whether or not input is required.
Caption
All data types
For display on forms and reports.
Default value
All except AutoNumber, Memo and OLE Object
Automatically completes field with default value. You can edit as necessary at data entry/edit.
Validation rule
Used to test that allowable data only is entered.
Validation text
Message to appear when validation rule is not met.
Required
Set to ‘Yes’ if data must be entered.
Indexed
26
Text, Number, Date/Time, Indexing speeds up access to its data – fields that Currency and AutoNumber will be sorted or queried on should be indexed.
Designing the table
Basic steps
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Type the first field name – ‘CCID’ (an ID code for the contact person). Press [Tab] to move to the Data Type column. Click the drop-down arrow and select a data type – AutoNumber. Press [Tab] twice to take you to the Field Name column for the next field. Enter ‘Title’ as the name. Press [Tab] and set the data type to Text.
Once you have created your new table in Design view, the Table Design window is displayed. The window has two panes.
The upper pane is where you specify the field name and data type. Both of these are essential for each field.
The lower pane is where you specify the properties.
Initially, the upper pane looks like a small empty datasheet, and the lower pane is blank (the properties appear automatically when you add a field name and data type in the upper pane).
1
Type the field name
Current field indicator
3
Set the data type
Press [F6] to move to the Properties pane. Delete the 50 in the field size (the default value) and enter 10.
4
Create the next field
Press [F6] to return to the upper pane. Repeat steps 2–8 for the other fields.
Take note The Description field is optional. Anything typed here will appear on the Status Bar when you are entering data.
7
Edit the properties
27
Setting the primary key The primary key is the field in your table that will contain a unique value in each record. Each person on our list will have a unique code CCID (for Christmas Card ID!) – so this will be the primary key for the Name and Address table.
Basic steps
1 2
Put the insertion point anywhere within the CCID field in the upper pane. Click the Primary Key on the Table tool Design toolbar.
Take note The primary key status can be switched on or off by clicking the Primary Key when the insertool tion point is within the field (in the upper pane).
Take note You can also use Text or Number fields for primary keys. If you do this, set the Index property to No Duplicates Allowed for the field – then Access will not accept a duplicate value in this field during data entry.
28
Save and close
Basic steps
1 2
Save Click the Save tool on the Table Design toolbar. Give the table a meaningful name.
3
Click OK.
Close the window
4
5
Click at the top right of the Table Design window to close it.
Save the table design You should save the table design at this stage.
Close the Table Design window That is the structure of our table complete. We will discuss data entry later – so close the table design window.
Close the database file As this is the only table in the database, close the database file.
Close the file Click at the top right of the Database window to close it.
2
3
Enter a name
5
Click OK
Close the database window
Take note You must always save the table design once you have created or edited it.
29
Multi-table databases We will now work through setting up the database file described in Chapter 1. The database file should be called ‘Book Shop’ and it will contain these two tables: ‘Book’ and ‘Publisher’.
3
Define the table
Basic steps
1 2 3
6
Close the table window
4 5 6 7 8
Create a database file called ‘Book Shop’. Create a table in Design view for the Book details. Enter the table structure – field names, data types and properties. Set the primary key. Save the table design call it ‘Book details’. Close the Table Design window. Repeat steps 2–6 for the Publisher table (call it ‘Publisher’). Close the Book Shop database file.
Take note The ISBN (International Standard Book Number) appears on the back of each book e.g. 0-7506-4182-7.
Take note When you specify a default value for a field, the field is automatically completed with that value for each new record. Simply replace the default text with the text required as necessary.
30
Book table Field name
Data type Properties
Notes
ISBN
Text
Field size = 14
Primary key
Book title
Text
Field size = 30
Author firstname
Text
Field size = 15
Author surname
Text
Field size = 20
Price
Currency 2 decimal places
Classification
Text
Field size = 25; Default = Travel
Take note
Year published
Text
Field size = 4
PublisherID
Number
Long Integer
Create both tables within the Book Shop database file.
Indexed
Publisher table Field name
Data type
Properties
PublisherID
AutoNumber
Publisher name
Text
Field size = 30
Contact person
Text
Field size = 35
Address 1
Text
Field size = 25
Address 2
Text
Field size = 25
Town
Text
Field size = 20
Region
Text
Field size = 20
Country
Text
Field size = 20
Postcode
Text
Field size = 12
Tel no
Text
Field size = 18
Email
Text
Field size = 25
Notes Primary key
Take note You will find out how to create a relationship between these tables in Chapter 3. Data entry will be discussed in Chapter 4.
31
Exercises DVD Store database You work in a DVD store, and have been given the task of setting up a database to record details of the DVDs that you stock, the members and the loans made by members. Set up the structure for the database following the guidelines below.
1
Create a new database – call it ‘DVD Store’.
DVD Stock table 2
Create a new table, and enter the following table structure
Field name
Data type
DVDID Title Classification Year released Company
AutoNumber Primary key Text Size = 25, Indexed (Duplicates OK) Text Size = 20, Indexed (Duplicates OK) Text Size = 4 Text Size = 30, Indexed (Duplicates OK)
3
Properties
Save your table as ‘DVD stock’ and close it.
Member table 4
Take note Indexing speeds up access to the data in that field. Fields that will be sorted or queried should be indexed. Indexed (Duplicates OK) means that the field can contain the same value in more than one record, e.g. Town or Surname field. Indexed (No Duplicates) ensures that each record has a unique value in the field – useful for primary key fields.
Create a new table, and enter the following table structure
Field name
Data type
Properties
MemberID Title First name/Initial Surname Address Town Postcode Region Tel no Email Child member
AutoNumber Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Yes/No
Primary key Field size = 6 Field size = 20 Field size = 25, Indexed (Duplicates OK) Field size = 30 Field size = 20, Indexed (Duplicates OK), Default value = Edinburgh Field size = 10, Default value = EH Field size = 20, Indexed (Duplicates OK), Default value = Lothian Field size = 20, Default value = “0131” Field size = 25
5
32
Save your table as ‘Members’ and close it.
Loan table 6
Create a new table, and enter the following table structure
Field name
Data type
LoanID MemberID DVDID Return date Rental price Paid
AutoNumber Number Number Date/Time Currency Yes/No
Properties Long integer Long integer Short date
7
Save your table as ‘Loans’ and close it.
8
Close the DVD Store database file.
Personnel database You have been given the task of setting up a Personnel database to record details of the staff who work for your company and the course bookings that are made on company training courses. Set up the structure for the database following the guidelines below.
1
Create a new database – call it ‘Personnel’.
Staff table 2
Create a new table, and enter the following table structure
Field name
Data type
Properties
Staff code Title First name Surname Start Date Salary
Text Text Text Text Date/Time Currency
Date of birth Job Title
Date/Time Text
Field size = 6, Primary key Field size = 10 Field size = 25 Field size = 20 Short date format 0 decimal places Validation rule Print Relationships
Click on the Print Preview toolbar to print. Click to close the Preview window. If you wish to save the at report, click the prompt.
4
Close the Preview window
Accept or edit the report name. Click . It will be listed under Reports in the Database window. Close the Book Shop database file.
6
Edit the name
7
Click OK
41
Exercises DVD Store database 1
Open the DVD Store database file.
2
Display the Relationships window.
3
Add the DVD Stock, Members and Loan tables to the Relationship window.
4
Create a relationship between the DVDID field in the Stock table and DVDID field in the Loan table. Enforce referential integrity on the relationship.
5
Create a relationship between the MemberID field in the Members table and MemberID field in the Loans table. Enforce referential integrity on the relationship.
6
Save the relationships layout.
7
Print the relationships report.
8
Close the Relationships window and the DVD Store file.
Personnel database 1
Open the Personnel database file.
2
Display the Relationships window.
3
Add the Staff and Course Bookings tables to the Relationships window.
4
Create a relationship between the Staff code field in the Staff table and Staff code field in the Course booking table. Enforce referential integrity on the relationship.
5
Create a relationship between the CourseID field in the Courses table and CourseID in the Course booking table. Enforce referential integrity on the relationship.
6
Save the relationships layout.
7
Print the relationships report.
8
Close the Relationships window and the Personnel database file.
42
4 Data entry and edit Using Datasheet view . . . . . . . . . 44 Entering data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Editing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Add and delete records . . . . . . . 47 Adjusting the design . . . . . . . . . 48 Data and related tables . . . . . . . 49 Exercises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Using Datasheet view Once you have set up the structure of your table(s) and set the relationships, the next stage is data entry. The table should be displayed in Datasheet view rather than Design view for this. In Datasheet view, each column of the table is a field and each row is a record. Try entering some records into your table using your Christmas Card List database.
4
2
Display Tables
Select and click Open
3
Basic steps
1 2 3
Open the database file. Display the Tables in the Database window. Double-click on a table to open it in Datasheet view.
or
4
Select it and click on the Database window toolbar.
Take note Double-click to open
To open a table in Design view, select it in the Database window and click on the Database window toolbar.
Take note To switch between the Design view and Datasheet view of an open table, click the view tool on the Design or Datasheet toolbar.
44
Entering data
Basic steps
1 2
Type the data required into the first field.
Entering data is easy. If you have used tables in Word, or Excel, the method is very similar.
1
Press [Tab] to take you forward to the next field.
4
Enter data
Close the table
or Press [Shift]–[Tab] to take you back to the previous field.
3
4
At the end of a record, press [Tab] to take you to the first field in the next record.
2
Press [Tab]
Each record is saved automatically when you move onto the next.
Moving around your datasheet
Close the table when finished.
Point and click with the mouse to go to any field (using the scroll bars as necessary to bring the field into view).
Use the Navigation Bar.
In addition to using the [Tab] and [Shift]–[Tab] to move between fields, you can:
First
Take note The value in the CCID field will be generated automatically as it is an AutoNumber field.
Next
Previous
New record
Last
Go to a specific record number – press [F5], key in the record number and press [Enter].
45
Editing You can edit data at any time. If you move onto a field using [Tab] or [Shift]–[Tab] the data in it is selected. You can then:
Replace the current contents. Just type in the new data while the old is highlighted
Edit the data. Press [F2] to deselect the text, then position the insertion point using the Arrow keys
Erase the contents. Press [Delete].
Keyboard shortcuts [PgUp]
Up a screen
[Ctrl]-[PgUp]
Left a screen width
[]
Current field, previous record
[Ctrl]-[ ]
Current field, first record
[PgDn]
Down a screen
[Ctrl]-[PgDn]
Right a screen width
[]
Current field, next record
[Ctrl]-[ ]
Current field, last record
[Home]
First field, current record
[Ctrl]-[Home]
First field, first record
[End]
Last field, current record
[Ctrl]-[End]
Last field, last record
Adjusting column widths When you create an Access table, the fields/columns are displayed at a standard width, regardless of the Field Size specified in the Properties panel in Design view. You can easily adjust the column width by dragging the vertical bar between the field names at the top of each field. If you adjust the column widths in Datasheet view, you will be prompted to save the layout changes when you close the table. Click or , depending on whether you wish to save the changes or not.
46
Take note If you have made an error in field size when setting up your tables, go into Design view for the table and update the field size, save the table, then return to Datasheet view to continue entering your data.
Basic steps
1
Add a new record Click the New Record tool on the Standard toolbar, or on the navigation bar at the bottom right of the table. The insertion point will be placed in the first field of the next empty row in your table.
2
Enter your record details.
Delete a record
3 4
Add and delete records Each time you add a record, it is added to the end of the list of records in your table. As records can easily be sorted into any order, this initial placing is not that important. You can quickly jump to the end of your table, ready to add the next record, from anywhere in your list of records.
Place the insertion point anywhere in the record.
3
Click into the record
Click the Delete Record tool on the Standard toolbar.
5
Respond to the prompt. to go ahead Click with the deletion, or if you have changed your mind.
If you have the Christmas Card List database file open, close it now.
5
Confirm the deletion
Take note Take note To delete a table, select it in the Database window and press the [Delete] key.
Once you have deleted a record, you cannot undo the delete. If you delete your record in error, you will need to type it in again.
47
Adjusting the design If you discover any errors in your table design at the data entry stage, you can go back to Design view and adjust the table structure. You can add and delete fields or edit any of the other attributes e.g. field name, data type, field properties, of your tables.
Basic steps
1
Select your table it in the Database window and click
to open it in
Design view. or
You must be in Design view to edit the structure.
2
If the table is open in Datasheet view, click the on the View tool Datasheet toolbar.
Take note
If you try to delete or change the primary key status of a field that is part of a relationship, you will be prompted to delete the relationship first. You must close your table and return to the Relationships window to do this. Remember to save your changes, and then return to Table Design to adjust the table structure.
3
4 5
Add a field at the end Go to the first empty row in the upper pane and enter the field definition. Add a field within the list Click in the field that will go below the new one (in the upper pane). Click the Insert Row tool on the Table Design toolbar.
Tip You can edit a field’s name or properties at any time. just click into the field and make the changes in the upper or lower pane.
48
6
Enter the field definition.
Delete a field
7 8
Click in the field. Click the Delete Row tool on the Table Design toolbar.
Data and related tables
Basic steps
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Open the Book Shop database. Open the Publisher table in Datasheet view. Type in the Publisher records. Close the table. Open the Book details table in Datasheet view. Type in the Book records. Close the table. Close the Book Shop database file.
When entering data into a database where there are related tables, and referential integrity has been enforced, you must add each record to the table at the ONE side of the relationship before you add related records to the MANY side. There is a one-to-many relationship between the Publisher table and the Book details table in the Book Shop database (one publisher may supply us with many books). When you add records to the Book details table, the PublisherID field must be completed so that the publisher can be identified. Access will check that the value you type into the PublisherID field in the Book details table has a matching value in the PublisherID field in the Publisher table. If a match isn’t found, an error message will be displayed and you cannot complete the record.
Delete the County field from the Publisher table PUBLISHER TABLE
ID Name
Contact
Address 1 Address 2
Town
1 Elsevier
Jack Smith
The Langford Boulevard Lane
Oxford
OX5 1GB
01352 111 4444
[email protected] 2 Puffin Magic
Alice 7 Queen Williamson Street
Edinburgh Lothian
EH34 1ZZ
0131 999 1111
[email protected] 3 Arrows George Publications Black
Randall House
4 Wayward Nikki Lock Ltd Madson
18 Clifftop Street
5 Harry Paul 10-23 Frosty Cousin Ltd Thomson Road
Region County Postcode
Tel Num
Email
1 Cavalier London Bridge Road
RM10 2SA 020 8443 9000
[email protected] London
WC1H 3PP 020 7444 2222 Nmadson@wayward. co.uk
Inverness Highland
IV4 2AA
01463 222 4444
[email protected] Take note If you try to add a duplicate primary key value, you will be told that this cannot be done. Edit the primary key field entry to clear the error.
49
BOOK DETAILS ISBN
Book title
0 1122 3344 5 0 1402 3832 1 0 1403 7022 6 0 3320 6666 1
Easy Internet In & Out Stories Castaways Christmas Destinations Garden Shrubs Campfire Cooking West Highland Way Cycling in Holland Bits and Bytes Crazy Comets Changing Skies Bread and Biscuits Ballet Music from Russia Giant World Atlas Jazz & Blues Highlights Guitar Classics Little Bear at Home Little Bear on holiday The Western Isles Outdoor Adventures
0 3355 2211 8 0 3451 2244 3 0 4231 4422 5 0 4422 1212 5 0 4422 3311 2 0 4433 2233 4 0 4466 8833 1 0 5532 7722 1 0 5555 2233 4 0 6622 9944 1 0 7733 2200 2 0 7744 6664 2 0 7755 2211 3 0 7755 5511 3 0 9922 3322 1 0 9933 2255 6
Author firstname Morris Jack Maggie Davina
Author surname McNally Simpson Anderson Cousins
Price £ 11.99 7.50 11.99 14.99
Year published Computing 2003 Children’s fiction 1997 Travel 1999 Travel 2005
Alice Jim Andrew Toni Colin William Martin Caroline Stephen
Borthwick Peterson McLeod Wilson Donaldson Custard Andrews Andrews Black
9.99 12.00 18.99 14.75 12.99 20.00 16.99 14.99 15.99
Gardening Cooking Travel Travel Computing Science Travel Cooking Music
2004 2002 2005 2004 2003 2005 2002 2002 2001
1 3 2 4 3 5 3 1 4
Toni Gordon
Wilson French
12.99 12.75
Travel Music
2001 2004
2 5
Frank Amanda Amanda Tracy Francis
Powell Hastings Hastings Littlejohn Donaldson
14.99 7.99 7.99 14.99 9.75
Music Children’s fiction Children’s fiction Travel Travel
2002 2005 2005 2003 2005
3 2 2 5 4
Take note If you enter PublisherID data in the Book details table, that does not exist in the Publisher table, this message appears:
Access will not accept a PublisherID in the Book details table that has no corresponding value in the Publisher table.
50
Classification
PublisherID 2 2 1 1
Exercises 1
Open the DVD Store database
2
Set the Title field size to 60, then enter the following records into the DVD Stock table.
DVDID Title 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Classification
Batman Begins Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Concert for George Dreamcatcher Fahrenheit 9/11 The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Special Edition Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Shrek 2 Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit
12A PG PG 15 15 18 PG 12A U U
Year released 2005 2005 2003 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2004 2006
Director Christopher Nolan Tim Burton David DeLand Lawrence Kasdan Michael Moore Sergio Leone Alfonso Cuaron Peter Jackson Andrew Adamson Nick Park
3
You could add other DVDs try http://www.futuremovies.co.uk/review.asp for ideas.
4
Complete the Members table with their contact details. Add more if you wish.
ID Title First name Surname
Address 1
1 Mrs Amanda
Shakespeare 22 St Stephen
2 Mr Peter
Watson
Address 2
Town
Postcode Region Tel no
Email
Child member
Edinburgh EH6 1ZZ Lothian 0131 333 5555
No
Edinburgh EH8 2PP Lothian 0131 555 1111 peterw@ yahoo.co.uk
No
Street 14 Circus Place Lane
3 Mr Alexander Borthwick
1st flat left
22 Eyre Place Edinburgh EH14 1QQ Lothian 0131 444 2233 alex@btinternet No .co.uk
4 Miss Megan
Halcroft
The Elms
5 Mrs Sarah
Peterson
6 Mr Jack
Thomson
31a Castle Terrace
Edinburgh EH2 4TT Lothian 0131 533 3322 spiderman@ yahoo.co.uk
Yes
7 Mrs Trish
Blackwood
99 Queen’s Court
Edinburgh EH3 7PR Lothian 0131 338 4455 tblackwood@ hotmail.co.uk
No
8 Mrs Emma
McLean
44 Hill Street
Dalkeith
9 Mr Fred
Watson
12 Castle Court
Edinburgh EH2 6RT Lothian 0131 334 2121
No
10 Mr Thomas
Clelland
32 Marchmont Street
Edinburgh EH9 1XX Lothian 0131 554 6603 thomclelland@ yahoo.co.uk
Yes
33 Hamilton Place 48 St Andrew’s
Edinburgh EH23 2RT Lothian 0131 443 1000 meganh@quista Yes .co.uk Edinburgh EH3 2SG Lothian 0131 444 9987 No
Close
EH34 1ZZ Lothian 0131 775 4422 emmab@virgin No .net
51
5
Open the Loans table and enter details of the loans.
LoanID DVDID MemberID 1 2 5 2 3 10 3 6 2 4 4 9 5 2 7 6 3 5 7 6 7 8 9 1 9 1 5 10 6 4 11 7 8 12 9 6
Return Date Rental Price Paid 01/06/2006 £3.00 Yes 01/06/2006 £3.00 Yes 01/06/2006 £3.50 No 01/06/2006 £3.00 Yes 04/06/2006 £3.00 Yes 04/06/2006 £3.00 Yes 05/06/2006 £3.50 Yes 05/06/2006 £2.50 No 08/06/2006 £3.00 Yes 08/06/2006 £3.50 Yes 08/06/2006 £3.00 Yes 10/06/2006 £3.00 Yes
Take note
6
Add more records if you want, and close the DVD Store file.
7
Open the Personnel database file
8
Add the records to the Staff table.
StaffID MS0001 RB0001 WS0001 MS0002 AL0001
9
Title Mrs Mr Mr Mrs Mr
Firstname Surname Margaret Simpson Robert Burns William Stewart Monica Smart Andrew Lipson
Start Date 03/05/2004 06/04/1996 26/02/2001 16/11/2005 18/09/2003
Salary £26,500.00 £32,000.00 £18,900.00 £29,500.00 £22,000.00
Date of Birth 04/06/1962 14/03/1958 30/10/1985 25/01/1978 01/09/1981
Job Title Sales Administrator Account Manager Web Designer Editor Chef
And the records to the Courses table.
CourseID HASAW DPA SEC BITS
Course title Health and Safety at Work Data Protection Act Security Basic IT Skills
Take note
10 And finally the Course booking table. Booking ID 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Staff code MS0001 MS0001 AL0001 WS0001 RB0001 AL0001 WS0001 MS0002 RB0001 MS0002
Course ID BITS HASAW DPA BITS BITS HASAW HASAW DPA DPA BITS
11 Close the Personnel database file.
52
When entering data into the postcode and telephone number fields in the Members table, tab to the field, press [F2] – this will place the insertion point at the end of the field, after the default data. Complete the field.
Course start date 01/09/2006 01/10/2006 03/09/2006 01/09/2006 01/09/2006 01/12/2006 01/12/2006 03/09/2006 04/11/2006 01/12/2006
The tables at the ONE side of a one-to-many relationship were completed before data was entered into the table at the MANY side of the relationship.
5 Forms Creating forms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Save and close a form . . . . . . . . 56 Forms and related tables . . . . . . 57 Form Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Design view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Form header and footer . . . . . . . 62 Fields and controls . . . . . . . . . . . 63 Labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Exercises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Creating Forms
Basic steps
Forms allow you to customise your screen for input and editing purposes. Although data entry and edit is often done directly onto the table datasheet, forms are very useful as they allow for simpler and more accurate data entry. Forms can be created in a number of ways – using the AutoForm feature, a Form Wizard, or directly into the Design view of the form. Any forms that you save will be listed under Forms in the database window.
1 2 3 4
Open your database. Display the tables in the Database window. Select the table – Names and Addresses – that you want to create a form for. Click the AutoForm tool in the New Object list. A simple form will be displayed, showing the first record in your table.
Autoform A simple form can be created quickly using the AutoForm feature. Try creating an AutoForm for the table in your Christmas Card List database
4
Click AutoForm
The form has no great design frills, but it does the job
3
2
54
Display the tables
Select the table
Working in Form view The techniques that you use in Datasheet view also apply in Form view:
To add records to your form, click the New Record tool on the Standard toolbar or
on the Navigation
Bar at the bottom of the form.
To move from field to field within each record, press [Tab] to move forwards, or [Shift]–[Tab] to move backwards. Alternatively, click in the field you wish to work in.
To move from one record to another, use the Navigation Bar at the bottom of the form.
First
Next
Previous
Last
To delete a record, display it and then click the Delete tool
New record
on the Standard toolbar.
Add another three or four records using the form that you have created.
55
Save and close a form If you wish to keep your form so that you can reuse it you must save it.
2
5
1
Click OK
Click the Save tool on the Form View toolbar.
2
Give it a name
3
Basic steps
3 4
Give the form a meaningful name. Click
.
Close your form. You will find your form listed in the Forms area in the Database window.
Close the database
5
Close the Christmas Card List database file.
Take note
4
Take note To delete a form, select it in the Database window and press [Delete].
56
The form will be listed
When you add or edit records through a form, the actual data is stored in the underlying Table, not in the Form. The data will still be saved, even if you do not save the Form.
Tip To open a form that has been saved, double-click on it in the Database window.
Basic steps
Forms and related tables
1
Use AutoForm again, this time on the Book Shop database.
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Open the Book Shop database. Create an AutoForm for the Book details table. Add two or three new books using the form. Save and close the form. Create an AutoForm for the Publisher table. Add a new publisher. Add two new books for that publisher. Save and close the form. Close the Book Shop database file.
The Publisher table is at the one side of a one-to-many relationship. When you create an AutoForm, the data from the Publisher table is in the top of the form, and the data from the Book details table are listed in the lower part, in a subform. If you look at the Navigation bar area, you will notice two sets of buttons. The lower set belongs to the Publisher table, the upper set to the Book details table.
Take note Once you have closed your forms, open the tables in Datasheet view – your new and updated records will be there.
57
Form Wizard
Basic steps
As an alternative to using AutoForm to create a form, you could create a form using the Form Wizard. You can select specific fields from your tables as you work through the wizard (rather than having all fields as is the case with the AutoForm) and also apply an AutoFormat option to give your form more interest and user appeal. Open the Book Shop database to experiment with this.
3
1 2
Selecting the fields Go to the Forms area in the Database window. Double click .
3
Select the table
Select the Table that you want to create a form for – Publishers. The fields in the table will be displayed in the Available Fields list
4 4
Add the fields
5
7
Click Next
6
The buttons Moves a field from Available Fields to Selected Fields Moves all fields from Available Fields to Selected Fields Moves a field from Selected Fields to Available Fields Moves all fields from Selected Fields to Available Fields
58
7
Add to the Selected Fields list those fields that will appear on the form – PublisherID, Name, Contact Person, Tel Number and Email. Select another table from the Tables/Queries list if necessary – Book details in this case. Add the fields you require from it - ISBN, Book Title, Author Firstname, Author Surname, Price. Click
.
Basic steps
1
Pick a table
Viewing your data
1
2
Choose the table that you wish to view your data by, e.g. Publisher or Book details – choose Publisher. Select whether you wish to create a form with subform(s) or linked forms.
3
Click
Layout
4
5
2
Subforms or linked?
.
3
Select the layout that you want to use – choose either Tabular or Datasheet. Click
Click Next
.
4
Wizar d contr Wizard control ol to go to the next step
5
Pick a layout
Click Next
to go back to the previous step if you wish to abandon the wizard when you have specified all your choices
59
6
Pick a style
Style
6 7
7
Select the style required. Click
.
Chequered flag
8 Click Next
9
Edit the form name(s) if you wish. Select Open the form to view or enter information.
10 Click 8 9
Edit the name
Open the form
Take note
10
Click Finish
Subforms – the data from the table at the ‘one’ side of the relationship is displayed at the top of the form, with the data from the table at the ‘many’ side displayed below it Linked forms – with these, a button appears on the form. When you click the button the linked form opens or closes.
60
Design view
Basic steps
1
The Design view of a form is useful for adding the finishing touches to it. You could add a heading or an instruction, format some text, insert a picture or add colour to a field.
Go to the forms area in the Database window.
2
Select the Names and Addresses form.
3 4
It doesn’t matter if you created the form using the AutoForm or the Wizard – you can still customise it in Design view.
Click Design.
Open the Christmas Card List database to experiment with Design view.
Click on the Form Design toolbar to toggle the display of the Toolbox.
5
Click
In Design view, the form is displayed on the design grid, and the field list (showing the fields that can be used on your form) and the toolbox are displayed.
to toggle the
Field list display. The fields are displayed in the Detail area of the Form.
3
Click Design
Take note When a form is open, to move between Design view and Form view, click the View on the Form view tool toolbar, and the View tool on the Form Design toolbar.
4
Display the Toolbox
2 1
5
Pick a form
Go to Forms
Display the Field list
61
Form header and footer The main form area is the Detail area – this is where the data from your table(s) is normally displayed. Other main areas are the header and footer at the top and bottom of each form. They are often used for headings, instructions or descriptive text, a company logo, etc. – anything that you want displayed on each form.
1
Basic steps
1 2
Widen the window
3
4 5 2
Select Form Header/Footer
Open the View menu. Click Form Header/ Footer. The Form Header and Form Footer area will be displayed. You cannot have a header area without a footer area – it’s both or neither.
Open the View menu
3
Show the header/footer
You can resize any form area by dragging its border (resize the Design window so you see the edges of the form). Drag the right edge of the form grid to adjust the width of the form. Drag the bottom edge of the Header, Detail or Footer area to resize it.
Take note
5
62
Drag to resize
In a form, the objects that you add are called controls. e.g. image control or label control.
Fields and controls
Basic steps
1
2
3
Delete the field/control Select the field and press [Delete]. Resize the field/control Drag one of the handles – the mouse pointer should be a doubleheaded arrow.
Once you have added a field or a control to a form, you can easily delete, resize or move it. You must select the field or control before you can do any of these – click on it. Handles appear in each corner and at the midpoint of the selected item.
1
Click to select
2
Drag a handle
Move the field/control Drag the edge – not a handle – the mouse pointer should be a hand shape.
3
Drag an edge
Take note The fields that are displayed in the Detail area of the Form consist of two parts – the label (the field name), and the detail (where the actual data from the table will be displayed in the Form).
Take note
You can select (and work with) each part independently by clicking on it.
To move the label or data part of a field independently, point to the top left handle of the side that you wish to move and click and drag – the cursor should be a pointing finger.
63
Labels
Basic steps
If you wish to add a heading, instructions or any other text that does not come from the data source (the list of fields that the form uses) you must enter it into a Label control. Once you have entered your text, you can easily format it – increase the font size, make it bold, change the colour, etc.
2
Click to place the label
3
Enter the text
1 2 3 4
5 4
Click elsewhere
6
Select the Label tool within the Toolbox. Click on your form to indicate where you want to add the text, e.g. in the Form Header. Type in your text. Click outside the control, anywhere on your form. Format a control Click on the control once to select it. Apply the formats using the Formatting (Form/ Report) toolbar.
Tip
Formatting toolbar for forms and reports Selected control
Fill colour
Font
Bold Font size
Alignment
Italic Underline
64
Font colour
To apply or change an AutoFormat choose AutoFormat from the Format menu. Select a format from the dialog box and click OK.
Take note The label control does not resize itself if you increase the font size.
Images
Basic steps
1
Select the Image control from the Toolbox.
2 3 4 5
You can add a picture or your company logo to a form using an Image control.
3
Click where you want the picture to go on the form.
Locate the picture
Locate the picture on your computer. Select the picture and . click Resize and/or move the picture as necessary.
4
Select and click OK
Tip When working in Design view, move backward and forward between it and Form view as required to check how your form is developing.
Picture size mode When you resize some pictures, they will be ‘clipped’. The edges of the picture will disappear, and you will only see as much as fits within the control. Adjust the Size Mode property of the picture to get it to fit within the control.
Take note The location of the clipart pictures may vary. Try C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Clipart.
65
Resizing and moving
Basic steps
4 3
5
Close the window
Set the Size Mode
Resize or move
1 2
Select the control. Click the Properties tool on the Standard toolbar.
3 4 5 6
On the All tab, set the Size Mode property to Zoom or Stretch – whichever looks best. Close the Image properties window. Resize and/or move the image as required. Return to Form view to view the final result.
Close the Christmas Card List database file.
6
Check the result
Tip
Take note If you don’t use the footer, reduce it to nothing – drag the bottom edge of it up as far as it will go.
66
Although forms are normally used for data input and editing, you can print them (this can be useful if you are giving a completed form to someone to check). To print a form, view it, choose Print from the file menu, and specify Selected record(s) in the Print Range options in the dialog box.
Exercises Book shop database
Take note
Task 1 1 Open the Book Shop database.
Enter a few more records to each table using the forms that you create.
2
Open the Book details form in Design view.
3
Display the form header/footer and add a label ‘Books in stock’ to the header. Format it size 14, bold and blue.
4
Insert an appropriate image in the header area. Resize, move and/or change the Size Mode property as necessary.
5
Add a label to the form footer and add your name. Format it as you wish.
6
Resize the form header/ footer area if necessary.
7
Save your form.
8
Display the form in Form view.
9
Print record 1 only and close your form.
Task 2 1 Open the Publisher form in Design view. 2
Insert an appropriate image to the right of the Publisher details. Resize or move it as necessary.
3
Save your form.
4
Display the form in Form view.
5
Print record 2 only.
6
Close your form and close the Book Shop database file.
67
DVD store database Task 1 1 Open the DVD Store database 2
Create a form for the DVD Stock table.
3
Add an image to the right of the DVD information. Set the size mode option to Zoom. Resize and move the image as necessary.
4
Format the DVD data field names as Comic Sans MS, blue and bold, then resize the fields to display the complete name if necessary.
5
Format the DVD data fields as Comic Sans MS.
6
Save the form.
Task 2 1 Create a form for the Loans table. 2
Add a form header – DVD Loan Details, and format it size 14, red and bold. Resize the label as necessary.
3
Resize the header and reduce the footer to a minimum.
4
Save the form.
Task 3 1 Create a form for the Members table. 2
Add a form header – Member Information, and format it size 14, blue, bold and italics. Resize it so that all of the text is displayed.
3
Insert an image to the right of the header text. Set the Size Mode property for the image to either Zoom or Stretch. Move or resize the image to get a good fit in the header.
4
Resize the form header if necessary.
5
Reduce the size of the form footer to nothing.
6
Save the form and close the DVD Store database file.
68
Personnel database Task 1 1 Open the Personnel database file 2
Create a form for the Course booking table
3
Add a header – Course Booking Information. Format it as Comic Sans MS, size 15 and bold, then resize the label control to display all the text.
4
Resize the form header area to reduce any blank space.
5
Format the field names and data controls to use font Comic Sans MS. Resize them so that all text is displayed.
6
Add an image to the form footer then resize the footer to reduce the blank space.
7
Save and close the form.
Task 2 1 Create a form for the Courses table. 2
Add a Form header – Course Information. Format it as Comic Sans MS, size 16, bold and blue.
3
Format the field name and data controls for the CourseID and Course Title to be Comic Sans MS.
4
Format the data area for these controls to be bold, with a pale blue background (Fill colour).
5
Adjust the sizes of the field name/data controls so that all text is displayed.
6
Save and close the form.
69
Task 3 1 Create a form for the Staff table. 2
Add a form header – Staff Training Data. Format it as Comic Sans MS, size 14, blue and bold.
3
Add an image to the right of the header text – set the Size Mode property to Zoom.
4
Format the field names and data controls to use font Comic Sans MS.
5
Format the data area of the control to have a pale blue fill colour, and bold text.
6
Add a footer – Compulsory Training Courses, and format it as Comic Sans MS, blue and italics.
7
Resize the header and footer areas to reduce any blank space.
8
Save and close the form.
9
Close the Personnel database file.
70
6 Datasheet view Simple sort . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Multi-level sort . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Find . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Replace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Filtering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 The subdatasheet . . . . . . . . . . . 78 Format a datasheet . . . . . . . . . . 81 Hide and Show . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 Freezing columns . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 Print Preview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 Page Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 Print . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 Exercises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Simple sort
Basic steps
The records in a table will normally appear in the order in which they were entered. You can easily sort the data in your table into ascending or descending order on any field.
1 2
Use the Names and Addresses table in your Christmas Card List database to experiment.
1
3 Open the table
2
Select the column to sort on
Open the table or form that you want to sort. Click anywhere within the field that you wish to sort in order of. Click the Sort Ascending or the Sort Descending tool – depending on the order required.
Take note Having sorted your records, you will be asked if you want to save the changes, i.e. the records sorted, when you close your table (or form). Choose or the sort order.
depending on whether or not you wish to save
When you set up an Advanced Sort (see opposite) you can either save the sorted table or you can save the criteria as a Query. This will be listed under Queries in the Database window. To save the criteria as a Query, click the Save as Query tool in the Filter, Advanced Filter/Sort dialog box, and give the query a name that reflects its purpose. Any time you open the query its criteria will be applied.
72
Multi-level sort
Basic steps
1 2 3 4 5
Open the Records menu. Choose Filter then Advanced Filter/Sort. Double-click on each field required in the fields list to add it to the lower pane.
If you need to sort your records on more than one field, you can perform an Advanced Sort. Try sorting your Names and Addresses into ascending order by Town, then Surname and then First Name.
1
Use Records > Filter > Advanced Filter/Sort
Select Ascending or Descending Sort order in the Sort row. Click the Apply/Remove Filter tool on the Filter/Sort toolbar. The sorted table is displayed.
2
Add fields to the lower pane
Take note If you need to clear existing criteria from the grid, click the Clear Grid tool then set up your sort.
5
3
Set the sort order
The sorted table
73
Find
Basic steps
With larger databases, it is impractical to locate records in your tables or forms by scrolling through, reading each record. The Find command will locate records that contain a specific entry in a field. Find works most efficiently if you tell it which field the data is in (so it doesn’t need to search the whole table), and the field is indexed. Note these two options:
3
1 2 3
Match Case – find only those entries that match the case used in the Find What field (capitals/lower case).
4
Search Fields As Formatted – find data based on its display format rather than stored value, e.g. a monetary value stored as 3.5 but formatted £3.50.
5
Enter the target data
4
8
Start the search
Set the Look In field
6 7 8 9
9 5 6
74
Put the insertion point inside the field you want to search. Click the Find tool
.
Key the target data in the Find What: field. Select the field that you want to search in from the Look In options. Choose the Match option required. Specify the search direction using the Search option. Select/deselect other options as required. Click to start the search, or to look for the next match. When you have found the record click .
Cancel to exit
Set the Match option
Set the search direction
Take note Database tables could have hundreds of thousands of records in them – think of the DVLC car registration database – so it is important that you can locate information quickly.
Replace
Basic steps
1 2 3
4 5
Click the Find tool and go to the Replace tab. Key the target data in Find What: and the replacement data in Replace With:
You can quickly change the contents of several fields using the Replace option.
2
Enter the data to find and its replacement
4
7
Specify your Look In, Search and Match options.
Click Find Next
Cancel to exit
Selective replace Click
.
Once you find the data, . click
0r
6 7
8 9
Click to move to the next occurrence.
3
Set the options
5
Replace once
8
Click when you are finished.
Replace all
Global replacement Click
.
Click to confirm the replacement.
9
Confirm the replace
75
Filtering
Basic steps
Filter by Selection
1
When working within a table, you might want to display a subset of the records held based on some criterion, e.g. all the Books from a specific publisher. You can use Filter by Selection techniques for this.
2 3 4
Take note With Filter by Selection you can only filter on one field at a time. However, you can repeat the filter process as many times as you like to get down to the records you want.
5
Click the Filter by Selec. tion tool Records matching the selection are displayed. Repeat the process if you want a sub-set of your new list. Click the Remove Filter tool to display all your records again.
1
Select the text to filter on
3
76
Select the text on which you want to base your filter.
The filtered subset
Basic steps
1 2 3 4
Click the Filter by Form . tool Select the criteria from the drop-down lists. Switch to the Or tab and set options here if alternatives are wanted.
Filter by Form If you wish to specify several criteria at the same time, you could use Filter by Form rather than Filter by Selection. Here you select the value to look for in a field from a drop-down list of all the values held anywhere in that field. You can also use Filter by Form to filter by different sets of criteria simultaneously.
2
Click the Apply Filter tool .
3
Select the criterion
Switch to Or tab
Lastname = Jackson, Town = Lauder (one tab used in Filter by Form)
Lastname = Jackson, Town = Lauder or Dalkeith (two tabs used)
77
The subdatasheet You may have noticed that in tables whose primary key is a foreign key in another table, the left-most column in the table contains a plus sign. This indicates that there is a subdatasheet of related records that can be displayed directly from that
Basic steps
1
table. You can display the related records for individual records or for all the records in the table. Open the Book Shop database to experiment with this feature.
2
2
Click to display the subdatasheet
3
Open a table where the primary key is related to a foreign key in another table e.g. the Publisher table in the Book Shop database. Expand the subdatasheet for a single record Click the plus sign to the left of the record. Collapse the subsheet Click the minus sign to the left of the record.
Take note You can add, edit or delete records through the subdatasheet.
78
Expand or collapse for all records
1 2 3
Expand or collapse the subsheets for all records
1
Click Format
Open the Format menu. Select Subdatasheet. Choose Expand All or Collapse All.
2
Select Subdatasheet
3
Expand All or Collapse All
79
Removing and restoring a subdatasheet
Basic steps
You can remove the subdatasheet link if it is no longer required.
1
Click Format
1 2 3
2
4 Point to Subdatasheet
5 3 5
Remove
6
Select the table
7 7
6
80
Click OK
Check the links
Remove a subsheet Open the Format menu. Select Subdatasheet. Choose Remove. Restore a subsheet From the Insert menu choose Subdatasheet. In the dialog box, select the table you wish to link to. Check/edit the fields through which the tables are linked. Click
.
Format a datasheet
Basic steps
1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8
Format the font Open the Format menu. Choose Font... Complete the dialog box. Click
.
If you wish to change the formatting on your datasheet, you can do so using the Format menu. Any changes that you make to the datasheet will be applied to the whole datasheet – you cannot change the formatting of specific rows or columns. You can format the font used for the text, or the fill colour and gridlines of the datasheet itself.
Format the datasheet Open the Format menu. Choose Datasheet...
4
Complete the dialog box. Click
Click OK
.
3
Format the font
8
Click OK
Take note You can adjust the column width of individual columns by dragging the vertical bar between the field names, or by specifying the column width via the Format menu.
7
Format the datasheet
You can adjust the row height by dragging the horizontal bar between the records, in the row selector area, or by specifying the row height via the Format menu. All rows will be formatted to the same height.
81
Hide and Show
Basic steps
There may be times when you don’t want to show all the columns in your datasheet. You may be concentrating on a task that only uses certain fields and decide to hide the ones that are of no concern at the moment. You can always show the columns again when you need them.
1
Select the column
1 2 3
4
5
Tick or clear the checkbox
Click Close
5 6
82
Click the Field Name row to select the column.
or
6
Hide columns
Drag along the field name row to select a set of adjacent columns. Choose Hide Columns from the Format menu.
Show (or hide) columns Open the Format menu and choose Unhide Columns. The Unhide Columns dialog box appears. The columns currently showing have a tick beside them. Click on the checkbox to toggle the Show/hide status of a field. Click when you are finished.
Freezing columns
Basic steps
1 2 3
4
Freeze columns Select the column(s) that you want to freeze. Open the Format menu and choose Freeze Columns.
There will be times that you need to view columns, which are distant from each other in your table, on the screen at the same time. You could do this by hiding columns that you don’t need to view, or by freezing columns at the left edge of your table. Columns that have been frozen will remain at the left edge of your table while you scroll the other fields in or out of view.
2
The columns will be moved (if necessary) and frozen at the left edge of your table.
Use Format > Freeze Columns
Unfreeze columns Open the Format menu and choose Unfreeze All Columns.
4
Use Format > Unfreeze All Columns
3
The columns are frozen
1
Select the column(s)
Take note Columns that have been frozen remain at the left edge of the table when they are unfrozen. To return one to its original position, move it – point to the field name at the top and drag and drop it – or close the table without saving the changes.
83
Print Preview
Basic steps
Now that you know how to get data into tables, and how to display specific records, you may want to print your datasheet. There are various ways to do this, but the easiest to begin with is to print from Datasheet view (this applies to either your
1 2
tables, or the results from running a query). Once the datasheet display has been formatted to your satisfaction, you can print the table. Always do a Print Preview first, and check that the layout is okay on screen, before you commit it to paper.
2
3
Open the table you want. Click the Print Preview tool . Your table is displayed in the Print Preview screen. To edit before printing, close the Print Preview and return to Datasheet on view by clicking the Print Preview toolbar.
The Print Preview screen
Take note
Print Preview toolbar Print
Zoom Design view
84
3
Click Close
Page Setup Display options
The page header contains the table name and the current date; the footer contains the page number. These can be switched on or off in Page Setup. To go into Page Setup from Print Preview, click on the Print Preview toolbar.
Page Setup
Basic steps
1 2 3 4
Open the File menu. Select Page Setup.
If you want to change the paper size, margins or orientation of your page, use the Page Setup dialog box. You can open this from Datasheet view, or from the Print Preview screen.
Complete the Page Setup dialog box as required. Click
1
.
Click File
2
Select Page Setup
Take note The content of the Page Setup dialog box varies from printer to printer.
3
Set the options
4
Click OK
85
Print
Basic steps
If the table is formatted and the Page Setup is okay, you can go ahead and print your table. You can print directly from Datasheet view, or from the Print Preview screen. It does not matter which view you are in, the routine is the same.
1
3
Use File > Print
2 3 4 5
4
Print all records Click on the Standard toolbar. Print selected records Select the records. Open the File menu and choose Print. Complete the dialog box as required. Click
.
Set the options
Take note To select consecutive records in Datasheet view, click and drag down the selection bar to the left of the records.
5
86
Click OK
Exercises Christmas Card List database 1
Open the Christmas Card List database.
2
Open the Names and Addresses table in Datasheet view.
3
Format the font to be size 12 and blue.
4
Adjust the column width as necessary to display all data.
5
Set the row height to 17.
6
Sort the data into ascending order on Surname, then First name.
7
Freeze the Title, First name and Surname fields.
8
Hide the Telephone Number field.
9
Print out the datasheet in Landscape orientation.
10 Close the table without saving the changes. 11 Close the Christmas Card List database.
Book shop database Task 1 1
Open the Book Shop database.
2
Open the Book details table in Datasheet view.
3
Format the datasheet to have a sunken cell effect.
4
Make the font green and bold.
5
Sort the data into descending order on Classification, then Year Published.
6
Print out the Travel books only – landscape orientation.
7
Close the table without saving the changes.
87
Task 1 1
Open the Publisher table in Datasheet view.
2
Freeze the Contact name and Publisher fields.
3
Use Filter by Form to select all Scottish publishers: use the criterion Region = Highland or Lothian.
4
Print out these books only, in landscape orientation.
5
Close the Publisher table without saving the changes.
6
Close the Book Shop database.
DVD store database 1
Open the DVD Store database.
2
Open the DVD Stock table in Datasheet view.
3
Use Filter by Selection to display all DVDs with a PG Classification.
4
Print the records out, in landscape orientation.
5
Remove the filter from the list.
6
Format the datasheet to have a raised effect, with a blue, bold font.
7
Hide the Director field.
8
Sort the records into ascending order on Year Released.
9
Print out the records for DVDs published in 2004 only – landscape orientation.
10 Close the DVD Store table, without saving the changes.
88
7 Queries The query grid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 Saving a query . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Multi-table queries . . . . . . . . . . . 94 Selection criteria . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 Multiple criteria . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 Wild card characters . . . . . . . . . 98 Is Null/Is Not Null . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 Exercises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
The query grid
Basic steps
The features discussed in Chapter 6 for filtering and sorting data are all very well if your requirements are fairly simple or you are working with one table only. However, if your requirements are more complex, queries give you a much more powerful tool to use when sorting and extracting data from your tables. Queries are also useful if you need to extract data from more than one table.
5 4
Click Close
Add the tables
7
2 3
Open your Christmas Card List database. Go to Queries in the Database window. Double-click .
4
5 6
Select the table(s) you want to query in the Show Table dialog box and click to add them to the query grid. Click
.
The field list(s) will be displayed in the upper pane, and the query grid in the lower pane of the Query window.
Double-click to add to the grid
8
90
1
Set the Sort order?
7
8
9
In the field list, doubleclick each field name you wish to display when you run your query – the field name will move to the query grid. If you wish to sort your data, specify the Sort order for the field(s) you wish to sort in the Sort row. Click
to run your
The sorted results
query.
Take note For more information on the Show Table dialog box see Chapter 3.
Take note When sorting using the query grid, the sort priority works from left to right. The first level sort field e.g. Lastname must be to the left of the second level sort field, which must be to the left of the third level sort field, etc. The fields do not need to be next to each other, but they must be positioned left to right in order of priority.
91
Adjusting the fields in the query
Basic steps
You can remove fields from the grid, or move them to a different place.
Tip You can move between the query grid and the resulting datasheet by clicking the view tool on the Query Design toolbar or
4
on the Datasheet toolbar.
Drag along the guide row
1
To remove a field from the query grid Select the field (click at the top of the column).
2
Press [Delete].
To move a field
3 4
1
Select the field. Drag and drop it while pointing to the narrow bar above the field name row.
Select the field
Take note Access has a powerful query tool. We will be performing queries where we specify the fields required and also the records according to the criteria set.
92
Saving a query
Basic steps
1 2 3
Click the Save tool on the Query Design or the Datasheet window Give your query a name that reflects its purpose Click
.
If you want to be able to re-run your query without having to set it up again, you should save it. Saved queries will be listed in the Query area in the database window.
2
Enter a name
3
Take note
4
Click OK
Close the database
To run a query again, simply double-click on it in the Database window. The results will be displayed in a datasheet.
Tip Many exam boards ask you to save your queries to provide evidence that you can complete a given task.
93
Multi-table queries Multi-table queries are no more difficult than single table queries. You just have to remember to add all the tables you require to the query grid.
3
Add the tables
Basic steps
1 2 3 4
4
Add the fields
5 5
6 Set the Sort order
7
Open the Book Shop database. Create a query in Design view. Add the Book details table and the Publisher table to the query grid. Add the fields to the query grid – ISBN, Author Surname, Author Firstname, Book Title, Price and Publisher Name. Set the sort order, e.g. books into ascending order of Author Surname. Save the query as Book and Publisher detail. Click
to run it.
The output from the query
94
Selection criteria
Basic steps
1 2 3 4
5 6
Create a query in Design view. Add the tables required to the Design grid. Select the fields.
Criteria that you want to apply to a query can also be specified in the Query grid. They are specified in the Criteria row, below the Sort row. We will set up a query to extract details of the Book title, Classification, Publisher and Price, of the Travel books only, with the results sorted in ascending order on Price.
Set the criteria – just type “Travel” in the criteria row for Classification. If you don’t use a comparison operator (see bottom of page), Access assumes that you mean equal to.
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Add the tables
Specify the sort order.
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Add the fields
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Set the Sort order
Save and run the query.
Take note
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Set the criteria
You don’t need to type the quotes around text in the criteria row – Access will add them automatically.
Comparison operators >
More than
= More than or equal to
“H” means after H in the alphabet.
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Multiple criteria You can specify more than one criterion for your record selection. There will be times when you want records that meet multiple criteria within the same record, and other times when you want records that match one criterion or another. All Travel books published before 2003. Both criteria are on the same row as we are looking for both conditions being met in the one record. This is an AND condition – we are looking for books about travel AND published before 2003.
Travel books OR Music books. This is an OR condition – we are looking for books on travel OR on music. The example is sorted into ascending order by Classification, and then by Book Title (note the priority order on the grid). The criteria can be entered onto separate criteria rows to show we are looking for one or the other.
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Travel or Music books that cost less than £14. Note the alternative way or entering an OR – on one criteria row. Also, there is NO £ symbol typed into the
